The Rum Howler Blog

(A Website for Spirited Reviews)

  • Copyright

    Copyright is inherent when an original work is created. This means that the producer of original work is automatically granted copyright protection. This copyright protection not only exists in North America, but extends to other countries as well. Thus, all of the work produced on this blog is protected by copyright, including all of the pictures and all of the articles. These original works may not be copied or reused in any way whatsoever without the permission of the author, Chip Dykstra.

  • Cocktails and Recipes

    Click Image for Awesome Recipes

  • Industry Interviews

    Interviews

    Click the Image for Great Interviews with the Movers of Industry

  • The Rum Howler Interview (Good Food Revolution)

    Click on the Image to see my interview on Good Food Revolution

  • The Rum Howler Blog

    Unknown's avatar

  • Rum Reviews

  • Whisky Reviews

  • Gin Reviews

  • Tequila Reviews

  • Vodka Reviews

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 1,090 other subscribers

  • Subscribe

  • Visitors

    • 15,424,146 pageviews since inception

  • Archives

  • Follow The Rum Howler Blog on WordPress.com

Archive for the ‘Liqueur’ Category

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »

Review: Wild Turkey American Honey

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 11, 2013

SAM_0575 American HoneyWild Turkey Bourbon is distilled and bottled by the Austin Nichols division of Campari Group. The distillery located near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky was built by the Riply brothers in 1869, In 1952 by the Gould Brothers purchased the facility which was later bought by Pernod Ricard in 1980 who in turn sold it to the Campari Group in 2009.

Wild Turkey American Honey is a bourbon based liqueur crafted from Kentucky Bourbon and wild honey. I received a bottle for review a few months ago, and after much delay finally got around to providing this review:

Your may click on the following excerpt to read the full review:

PassionReview: Wild Turkey American Honey

“… The entry onto the palate is relatively smooth with the sweet honey flavour melded nicely into the bourbon. This tastes much like the nose implies. Honey, butterscotch, and oak with some nice tobacco and vanilla accents. Some of the spiciness reminds me of rye, which is not surprising as Wild Turkey Bourbon is known to have a higher than average rye content …”

And because this is the week of Valentines I have added a great seasonal cocktail based upon the American Honey, called the Honey Passion Cocktail.

Please enjoy the review and the cocktail!

The spirit is bottled at 35.5 % alcohol by volume.

 

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Flavoured Whisky, Liqueur, Liqueur Review, Whisk(e)y Review, Whisky Liqueur | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Wild Turkey American Honey

Review: Forty Creek Cream Liquor

Posted by Arctic Wolf on February 5, 2013

Forty Creek CreamForty Creek Whisky expanded their portfolio last fall with three new whisky products added in time for Christmas, Copper Pot Reserve, Portwood Reserve 2012, and Forty Creek Cream Liquor. Copper Pot Reserve is a new premium whisky built upon the success of the distilleries flagship brand Forty Creek Barrel Select, and Portwood Reserve 2012 is the second edition bottling of their successful Portwood Reserve which was originally released in 2009. Something a little different for the distillery is their new Forty Creek Cream Liquor. This Cream Liquor is a product of fresh dairy cream blended with Forty Creek’s finest spirits and of course their award-winning Forty Creek Whisky. It is bottled at 15 % alcohol by volume, and is meant as an after dinner drink to be sipped on its own or in your afternoon coffee.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The Forty Creek Cream displays itself in the glass a rich light caramel/beige colour with a smooth creamy texture. The nose brings forth nuances of creamy chocolate, butterscotch/caramel, vanilla, hints of cinnamon, and light almost indistinguishable dabs of cocoa and coffee. A mild spicy influence of Canadian Whisky drifts into the breezes above the glass as well …”

Here is link to the review:

Review: Forty Creek Cream Liquor

Please enjoy my review!

Posted in Cream Liqueur, Liqueur, Liqueur Review, Whisky Liqueur | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Forty Creek Cream Liquor

Review: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 6, 2013

Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curacao

Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curacao

The liqueur we know as Curacao is traditionally made with Curaçao oranges, which are (of course) found on the Caribbean Island of the same name. These oranges are actually descendants of the more familiar Valencia Orange which were brought to the island of Curacao by Spanish traders centuries ago. The Valencia orange did not do very well in the new climate as the oranges which were planted became very bitter as the years went by. In fact, the planted trees were eventually abandoned and left to grow wild. Some time later, somebody noticed that the peel of these ‘wild oranges’ contained oils which were pleasingly aromatic. The wild Valencia orange had become something new and different, and in the 1800s people began to experiment with them by distilling them with alcohol (and blending them with spices) creating the liqueur which we know today as Curacao.

Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, is a traditional Orange Curacao which is based on an original 19th century recipe. According to Mr. Gabriel, his Dry Orange Curacao is what the liqueur was meant to be when the spirit was created. Since I am a bit of a cocktail geek myself, I thought that I would put Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao through the paces of my review methodology as well as build a few cocktails to see how this traditional Dry Orange Curacao stacks up.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“… The flavour of this Dry Orange Curacao carries so many nuances. A firm sweet orange flavour is of course predominant, but light flavours of oak and wood spice are carried forward as well. Additionally, I taste wisps of rye and wood spice, hints of ripe green grape, a light reflection of vanilla, and subtle almost intangible imprints of cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and cloves …”

You may read the full review here:

Review: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

Of course I mixed a few cocktails with this unique orange liqueur and provided three recipes as part of the review!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes, Liqueur | Tagged: , , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao

Introducing: Alexandre Gabriel (Cognac Ferrand)

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 28, 2012

(a reposting of my best interview of 2012)

Allow me to welcome Alexandre Gabriel, President and Owner, of Cognac Ferrand to my website.

Alexandre Gabriel was born in France, on a farm in southern Burgundy near the medieval town of Cluny, where his grandfather taught him how to make wine and distill spirits. He went to university in Lyon, and then in the U.S. as an exchange student, before returning to Paris to attend business school. More than 20 years ago, Alexandre came upon an ancient and almost defunct Cognac house. Through his passion and his vision, Alexandre Gabriel turned this small Cognac House into a specialized house of artisan spirits before the term was even coined. He re-built what is known today as Cognac Ferrand, in the heart of the Grande Champagne district of Cognac.

Mr. Gabriel believes in making spirits for people who enjoy the epicurean life and for the bartenders that make these epicurean libations possible.

______________________________________________

I was given the opportunity to conduct an email interview with Alexandre Gabriel here on my website, and to my delight, Mr. Gabriel exceeded all of my expectations sharing his energy and passion for Craft Spirits. Mr. Gabriel shares how he “fell into a barrel of Cognac” when he was “only 2 years into drinking age by American standards”. He explains why craft spirits are so important to Cognac Ferrand, and whether or not he is he is leading the spirits world into the realms of madness.

We discuss not only Cognac, but also Gin, Vodka and Rum, and then Mr. Gabriel shares not only two of his favourite cocktails with me, but also (after a certain amount of wailing and gnashing of the teeth), his favourite or most treasured spirit which Alexandre would wish for if he were to be stranded on a deserted island…

Here is a link to the full interview:

A Man of Passion: Alexandre Gabriel

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Posted in Brandy and Cognac Reviews, Cocktails & Recipes, Gin, Interviews, Liqueur, Rum, Vodka | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Introducing: Alexandre Gabriel (Cognac Ferrand)

Review: Northern Lights Eggnog

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 15, 2012

Northern Lights Eggnog is a rum based premix from Highwood Distillers. Highwood produced 500 cases for the Western Canadian market last Christmas, and I was given a sample bottle by the distillery to sample at my leisure (and to provide feedback to the distillery). The test product must have done well as this year Highwood has reintroduced the Northern Lights Eggnog for the festive season.

I have been told by the distillery that Northern Lights Eggnog is produced with real rum from the distillery (their Highwood Brand) and uses (as much as possible) authentic natural ingredients. I admit I was very curious and I thought it would be fun to do an ‘official’ review here on the website.

Here is an excerpt from my review:

“…I am quite pleased by what I see after I pour myself a little of the premixed eggnog into my glass. This looks rich and creamy in the glass and the ‘eggnog’ aroma has a nice firm imprint of rum and a nice mild spiciness. The vanilla is obvious and I sense hints of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, but, none of the spices seem overpowering or out of balance. This is going to be an easy-going eggnog as far as spiciness is concerned and one in which the rum is allowed to flourish in the mix….”

Here is a link to my full review:

Review: Northern Lights Eggnog

Please enjoy the review and the festive season!

Posted in Cream Liqueur, Liqueur, Premix, Rum | Tagged: , , , , , | Comments Off on Review: Northern Lights Eggnog

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »